Geographic Visualization, Animation, and Geocoding
We are very proud of our visualization capabilities. We use the most advanced visualization tools to illustrate our results in technical reports and PowerPoint presentations. All our geographical results are organized and displayed with GIS (Geographical Information Systems) software tools. We often prepare a 3D animation of the site under investigation and the dynamics of the pollution events. We use geocoding software to map points of interests (often thousands of points) from street addresses.
We have developed unique skills and experience in investigating accidental releases in a rigorous scientific manner, yet providing a cost-effective performance.
Selected projects
BioLab Fire
On May 25, 2004, a warehouse containing pool chemicals at the BioLab, Inc. facility in Conyers, GA, experienced a fire. This caused the evacuation of an area nearly 1 mile downwind of the facility and the shutdown of I-20 for several hours. The fire was extinguished by the morning of May 26, 2004. [Read More]
TOSCO-Carson Refinery Fire
At approximately 4:49 p.m. on Monday, April 23, 2001, a fire broke out in the Coker processing unit at Tosco's Los Angeles Refinery, Carson Plant. There were no injuries associated with the fire which was extinguished at approximately 8:20 p.m. The initial fire was large and the resulting heat caused numerous process lines to fail and feed the fire. Analysis of events and data indicate the cause of the fire was a failure of the 4-inch quench line to the coke drum overhead vapor lines. [Read More]
Air Quality Issues in the Beverly Hills High School Area, Beverly Hills, CA
This is a litigation case in which the plaintiffs claim that local industrial emission in Beverly Hills, CA have impacted the area surrounding Beverly Hills High School (BHHS) and caused chronic exposure and consequent adverse health effects on the student population. Industrial emissions include drill sites and Central Plants boilers and cooling towers. The chemicals of concern include benzene, formaldehyde, chromium VI, PAHs, PCBs, and dioxins/furans. [Read More]
Possible Airborne Contamination of Legionella Bacteria in the Lens Region of France
Between November 6, 2003, and January 4, 2004, outbreaks of Legionella epidemics were reported in the Lens region of France. Some of the subsequent environmental investigations identified the Noroxo petrochemical factory located in Harnes as the possible origin of the outbreak. However, subsequent large-scale outbreaks raised doubts about the actual origin of the epidemics. [Read More]
Traffic Collision and Visibility Issues, Fresno County, CA
On October 16, 2004, a traffic collision occurred on California Avenue, 100 feet east of Bryan Avenue in Fresno County. At the time of the collision there was large cloud of dust covering the roadway that was caused by farm equipment used to harvest an almond orchard. The cloud of dust obscured the vision of the parties involved in this traffic collision. At the time of the collision, two almond-harvesting equipments were in operation. [Read More]
Proposed Andrade Road Composting Facility in Sunol, CA
In 2006, the Alameda County Waste Authority and Board in California proposed the construction of the Andrade Road Composting Facility in Sunol, CA. [Read More]
Monsanto Case
On September 18, 1998, at about 10:38 AM local time, at the Monsanto Company Plant in Luling, Louisiana, a pipe nipple fractured allowing a release of ammonia gas into the atmosphere. The release of 1,010 kilograms (2,227 pounds) of ammonia (NH3) lasted for two hours, with most of the material (936 kilograms = 2,064 pounds) released during the first hour. The release consisted of a high velocity horizontal jet which generated an initial cloud expanding into a volume source. After the initial jet expansion, the plume traveled downwind carried by the wind and expanding according to the laws of atmospheric transport and diffusion. [Read More]
Highway 5 Traffic Collision
A fatal traffic collision occurred at 5:10 PM Local Time on October 13, 2009, along the southbound lanes of Interstate 5 within 1 mile north of State Route 119 in Kern County, California. A total of 11 vehicles collided, and 6 of the vehicles caught fire. The collision and resulting fires ended the lives of three people. The cause of the collision was low visibility from a fast-moving dense cloud of dust from fields west of Interstate 5 blowing eastbound across the traffic lanes. [Read More]
Fisher et al. v. Ciba Specialty Chemicals Corp. et al. - Case Study in McIntosh, AL
The plaintiffs in this case were claiming property damage resulting from DDT emissions from the Ciba Special Chemicals facility in McIntosh, AL. DDT was produced at the plant from 1952 to 1965. [Read More]
The Atmospheric Release on January 5, 2001 from a Chemical Facility in Geismar, LA
This incident was initiated by a power outage within the facility that resulted in a loss of the instrument air supply for the plant. Loss of instrument air resulted in control valves defaulting to their failed (loss of power) positions. The power loss also resulted in the shutdown of the motor driven chlorine compressor and the loss of power to the instrumentation and control system for the facility. [Read More]
The Development of AERMOD-Ready Meteorological Data for the SCAQMD
EnviroComp developed meteorological input files that will fill the same role for AERMOD as those currently maintained by AQMD for use with ISCST3, to be downloadable by modelers for regulatory applications of AERMOD within the AQMD. [Read More]
Evaluation of Possible Agricultural Damage from Alleged Herbicide Drift from a Crop Duster
This litigation case dealt with alleged herbicide drift of pesticides from a crop duster, with consequent damage over young tomato plantings. [Read More]